Take away a practical strategy and techniques for implementing a social strategy for your organization or business. Learn the top five considerations when starting a social network as well as tips to manage an online community. Discover how to create your own private social network using the Ning platform. Discuss the top tools to use to manage your social media life and build integration into your web site. See how Google Docs and Calendars work and how to use online video to further your business goals. Hear about mobile check-in applications and how companies are using coupon and deal sites. Get your company listed properly on local search engines so more customers can find you. Discuss how web design has change and get feedback on your website while discovering usability testing and user interface design. Finally, learn how to manage this influx of information created by the new media revolution. Develop a manageable work flow and get productivity tips to be more efficient. Learn what you might be doing wrong in social media as well as essential policies to have in place for your employees and company. See what trends are on the horizon and where your goals fit with those new trends.

Discuss how your sites compare and generate next steps that will improve your business

Unit 4: Developing a Manageable Work Flow: Time, Resources, Policies, and Trends
Developing a Manageable Work Flow
Time and Resources: How do you know where to spend your time?
Target Social Media Influencers to Boost Traffic and Sales
Is Your Company Ready for Social Media or Are They Holding You Back?
Trends - What's Next or Are We Still Working on Last Year's Trends?
Social Media Policies and Planning For A Crisis

About online learning

Online learning is a fun, enjoyable and very productive way to learn. Millions of people are learning online each year. You will engage with the instructor and other participants. You will get to know your instructor and other participants. You may make friends. It’s easy. It’s fun.

How the Course Works

It is easy to participate in your online course. After you register, you will be given a web address to go to get into your online classroom. You will have a password and use your email address and password to gain access.

Once inside the online classroom, here’s what you can expect.

Participate when you want

You can participate any time of day or evening. The online classroom is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are no live real-time requirements or meetings. You decide when you participate.
For the best learning, participants should log into the course on 2-3 different days of the week.

What you will do

For each Unit, you will:

Read the print readings (about 20 pages a week)

Have the option of accessing the online readings

Listen to the audio presentation for the Unit and view the slides

Have the option of taking a self-quiz to see how much you have learned

Engage in written online discussion with your instructor and other participants

For best learning, you should make one or more comments at 2-3 different times each week.
The content (readings, audio lectures, slides) and self quizzes are accessible for the entire course, so you can work ahead, or go back and review again, at your convenience.

Discussion

The Discussion for each Unit lasts one week. All comments are made in writing and can be made at any time of the day or night.

Your instructor will log into the Discussion area at least once a day and answer questions, make comments, and respond to comments by you and the other participants.

We encourage you to make 2-3 comments each week to maximize your learning and enjoyment of the course.

It’s easy. It’s fun.

Next offering(s):

Integrating Social Media in Your Organization
November 6 -
December 1
April 2 -
27, 2018

Jennifer is a licensed educational psychologist in private practice. Her technology interests have taken her into the blogging and social media world where she runs a popular blog. She speaks at national conferences on the subject of social networks, writes articles on the subject, and conducts webinars for professionals on the topic.

What some students say:

"By taking these classes I’ve been better able to sell them to potential students!" - Cynthia Parish

Course Objectives

To give students knowledge about how social media should function within an organization

To provide the necessary tools for creating and implementing a social media strategy

To provide direction on how to facilitate smooth integration of social media into existing marketing and communication strategies

To provide guidelines for evaluating which social media are most appropriate within your business setting

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course you will:

Be able to create your own private social media using Ning

Be able to work socially using existing resources such as Google Docs and calendars

Move your web site to an interactive Web 2.0 site

Select the best social media tools for your business

Develop a strategic plan for implementation of a social media initiative